diff -pur tcp_wrappers_7.6/hosts_access.c tcp_wrappers_7.6-fix/hosts_access.c
--- tcp_wrappers_7.6/hosts_access.c	1997-02-12 02:13:23.000000000 +0100
+++ tcp_wrappers_7.6-fix/hosts_access.c	2005-09-13 16:11:41.000000000 +0200
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ static char sep[] = ", \t\r\n";
 
 #define	YES		1
 #define	NO		0
+#define ERR		-1
 
  /*
   * These variables are globally visible so that they can be redirected in
@@ -114,11 +115,11 @@ struct request_info *request;
     verdict = setjmp(tcpd_buf);
     if (verdict != 0)
 	return (verdict == AC_PERMIT);
-    if (table_match(hosts_allow_table, request))
+    if (table_match(hosts_allow_table, request) == YES)
 	return (YES);
-    if (table_match(hosts_deny_table, request))
-	return (NO);
-    return (YES);
+    if (table_match(hosts_deny_table, request) == NO)
+       return (YES);
+    return (NO);
 }
 
 /* table_match - match table entries with (daemon, client) pair */
@@ -162,8 +163,9 @@ struct request_info *request;
 	(void) fclose(fp);
     } else if (errno != ENOENT) {
 	tcpd_warn("cannot open %s: %m", table);
+	match = ERR;
     }
-    if (match) {
+    if (match == YES) {
 	if (hosts_access_verbose > 1)
 	    syslog(LOG_DEBUG, "matched:  %s line %d",
 		   tcpd_context.file, tcpd_context.line);